This invention relates to automatic payment using wireless mobile devices and, in particular, to said automatic payments in transit and/or transportation systems.
Transit systems typically limit access to transit vehicles based on two methods: barrier and proof of payment. The barrier method usually requires transit users to swipe, tap, or otherwise present fare media at an access control point, such as a turnstile, of the transit system to gain entry to and/or exit from an area or vehicle of the transit system. On the other hand, the proof of payment method generally permits transit users to gain entry to and/or exit from an area or vehicle of the transit system, but requires transit users to provide proof of payment if solicited to do so by a fare inspector.
Both barrier and proof of payment methods typically use impersonalized fare media issued by the transit service provider. Fare media often includes, for example, tickets (which may need to be validated), stored value smart cards, magnetic stripe cards, etc. Because this fare media is typically issued by the transit service provider, it requires transit users to purchase new fare media or reload used fare media from the transit service provider to access the transit system. Moreover, the tickets and/or cards typically used as fare media are often lost or stolen, leading to loss of value to the transit user, the transit service provider, or both.